Freedom of information (FOI) releases from Herefordshire Council

This is a disclosure log of Herefordshire Council's responses to freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) requests that might be of wider public interest.

If you can't find the information you're looking for, you can make a new FOI request.

1,821 disclosures

1. Mental Health Act assessments in 2022 and 2023

   We are requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act:

   • The number of MHA assessments arranged and attended by an AMHP in 2022 (we appreciate that some may be arranged, the AMHP (and doctors) may attend but the assessment cannot be completed for a variety of reasons)?

   • The number of MHA assessments completed in 2022 (ideally broken down by outcome eg detention under s2, detention under s3, no detention- referral to CMHT etc)?

   • The number of MHA assessments arranged and attended by an AMHP in 2023?

   • The number of MHA assessments completed in 2023 (again, ideally broken down by outcome)?

   • The number of assessments undertaken in 2023 on out of area individuals (ie those registered with GPs in other local authority/ICB areas but currently located within your boundaries)?

   • The number of assessments undertaken in 2023 which were conducted out of area (ie those involving patients registered with a GP in your local authority/ICB area but currently located in another area)?

   • Where you commission independent/self-employed AMHPs to undertake MHA assessments what is the standard fee (in 2023) you pay them?

   • Do you make payment to the (independent/self-employed) AMHP where an assessment cannot be completed (but the AMHP attends the arranged location)? (if so, is this at the same rate?)

   • Do you make payment for mileage incurred to undertake assessments? If so, what is the rate (in 2023)?

   • Is this same mileage rate paid to substantive/rota AMHPS as well as independent/self-employed AMHPs?

   Published: 2 February 2024

2. Highway repairs and pot hole reports for Church Lane, Ashperton, in the last 10 financial years

   I shall be grateful for the following information:

   a. The full costs of highway repairs to Church Lane, Ashperton over the last 10 financial years to 22/23, and for the financial year to date, i.e. 23/24. Such costs to include, inter alia:

   i. Costs of survey, oversight and inspection visits;

   ii. Costs of materiel;

   iii. Costs of plant hire;

   iv. Sub-contract costs.

   b. The number of pot hole reports submitted for Church Lane, Ashperton over the same date range.

   Published: 2 February 2024

3. Council House Waiting Lists

   I would like to make a freedom of information request for the following information:

   I would like to know the number of people on the waiting list for social housing as of 31st January 2023.

   I would like to know the mean wait time for social housing in 2023 for each band: A, B and C. If the bands are not applicable then just the average overall.

   I would like to know many ex-serviceman/veterans were on the waiting list as of 31st January 2023.

   I would like to know how many women who were victims of domestic abuse were on the waiting list as of 31st January 2023 (this may be categorised as violence/abuse in current home).

   Published: 1 February 2024

4. Safeguarding targets for adoption, care placement and fostering

   The Children's Act 2004, Section 9a, states, 'The secretary of state may in accordance with regulations set safeguarding targets for a local authority in England'.

   What are the safeguarding targets the council was set by Govt for the period 2004 to 2024?

   I ask you state the targets for adoption, forced or not, care placement and fostering in a yearly or monthly format.

   Published: 31 January 2024

5. Planning appeals from 2010

   I would like to request the amount of money spent deciding on planning appeals in this local authority from the beginning of 2010 to the present day, or as recent as the data goes. This should be in a yearly format.

   I would also like data on what percentage of planning decisions went to appeal, AND what percentage of appeals were successful. This should be in a yearly format.

   Published: 31 January 2024

6. Person responsible for HMO/selective/additional licensing

   Can you please provide me with the following information:-

   1. Who is responsible for HMO/ Selective/ Additional Licensing?

   2. Their contact details - email address and phone number.

   3. What software are you using for HMO/ Selective/ Additional Licensing? For example, Metastreet, Idox, Verso, Civica.

   4. What is the renewal date for the software contract?

   5. What schemes are you looking to introduce, i.e. selective/ additional?

   Published: 31 January 2024

7. Expenditure related to software in Children's Services Department

   I am writing to submit a Freedom of Access of Information Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to obtain information on the expenditure related to software in your Children's Services Department.

   Specifically, I am seeking the following information:

   Q1. Does your Local Authority have the following departments:

   1. Adult Social Care Commissioning

   2. Children's Social Care Commissioning

   If so, please can you provide the contact details for the person who would make decisions about subscribing to software.

   Q2. Details on the monthly costs associated with different types of software utilised in Children's Services. Please provide information on the following:

   1. The names and types of software applications or systems used in Children's Services.

   2. The monthly cost for each software application or system.

   If possible, please categorise the costs and provide any additional relevant details regarding the functionalities and features covered by each software.

   Q3. Please can you also provide information about what would be the preferred charging structure when supplying software to your local authority, specifically around:

   1. Is it better to pay annually or monthly?

   2. What's the preferred method of payment?

   Published: 31 January 2024

8. Fostering Placements for looked after children

   Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information regarding Fostering placements for Looked After Children. Please provide answers on the attached accompanying spreadsheet.

   1. Who, within the local authority, has commissioning responsibility for Fostering placements for Looked After Children? Please provide the following:

   a. Name

   b. Job title

   c. Telephone no.

   e. Email address

   2. How many approved foster carer households are registered with the Local Authority as at 31st Mar-22, 30th Jun-22, 30th Sep-22, 31st Dec-22, 31st Mar-23, 30th Jun-23, 30th Sep-23, and 31st Dec-23 (if unavailable please provide the most recent data available - please give date)?

   Note: We are referring to in-house LA foster carer households excluding kinship carer households.

   3. How many Looked After Children (LAC) has the Local Authority funded in foster care placements, with in-house foster carers, with Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) carers, with Kinship (family and friends) foster carers and in IFA therapeutic fostering placements, as at 31st Mar-22, 30th Jun-22, 30th Sep-22, 31st Dec-22, 31st Mar-23, 30th Jun-23 and 30th Sep-23 and 31st Dec-23 (if unavailable please provide the most recent data available - please give date)?

   Note: Therapeutic foster care is also known as therapy foster care, multidimensional treatment foster care, specialist foster care, treatment foster (family) care and family-based treatment. It is designed for young people who cannot live at home, usually due to behavioural problems including chronic delinquency.

   4. What are the average weekly fees that the local authority would pay to foster care providers (in-house, IFAs and IFA therapeutic fostering placements) for the following age groups in 2021/22, 2022/23 and year to date in 2023/24?

   Note: By average weekly fee we mean skill fee element only, excluding agency fee etc, and the fee paid to foster carers per week, not the fostering allowance.

   a. 0 to 4

   b. 5 to 10

   c. 11 to 15

   e. 16 to 18

   5. Please provide a list of Independent Fostering Agencies used by the Council. Please provide data for the last financial year 2022/23 (if available); if not, the most recent data available - please give date.

   a. Please provide the total number of placements with each agency.

   b. Please provide total expenditure with each agency.

   6. What is the gross total expenditure (excluding fostering staff team costs) on fostering services for Looked After Children? Please provide actual figures for financial years 2019/20 to 2022/23, as well as budgeted expenditure for 2023/24.

   Published: 31 January 2024

9. Taxi driver complaints for the last five years

   I wish to know the number and type of complaints made to the council against taxi drivers for the last five full years that data is held;

   And the number and type of actions taken;

   Including the number of referrals to other authorities, such as the police.

   Please provide this information for the last five years, as well as for 2023 only.

   Published: 31 January 2024

10. Number of EHCPs issued for children and young people with SEND in last 5 years

    Please can you tell me, for each of the past five years, how many Education Health and Care Plans for children and young people with SEND were issued, and how many were issued within 20 weeks?

    Please provide the figures (number of plans issued overall, and number issued within 20 weeks) for each of the past five years.

    Published: 31 January 2024